Holiday Entertainment Guide: 'Babygirl,' 'A Complete Unknown' And More

HOLLYWOOD, CA — Christmas Day comes bearing a treasure trove of holly jolly tidings at the movies and streaming platforms with the arrival of a music legend, a high-powered executive, a centuries-old count and a group of gamers.

Bob Dylan fans, get excited! A musical biopic chronicling his seismic ascent in the early 1960s hits theaters on Christmas Day, focusing mainly on his controversial shift from folk to rock music. Timothée Chalamet, who stars as the enigmatic legend, leads a talented ensemble cast, including Elle Fanning, Monica Barbaro and Edward Norton.

Craving an intense erotic thriller? Office romance sizzles in “Babygirl,” starring Nicole Kidman as a high-powered executive who begins an illicit love affair with a young intern (Harris Dickinson).

Fans of Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula” are also in for a treat, as “Nosferatu” makes a big splash on Christmas Day at the theaters. The film stars Lilly Rose-Depp, Nicholas Holt and Bill Skarsgård.

Last but not least, the second season of Netflix’s “Squid Game” finally makes its debut on Dec. 25.

Check out what we thought of the four new releases below.

Related:

• The Most Anticipated Movies Hitting Theaters This 2024 Holiday Season
• The 28 Best Christmas Movies To Watch This Yuletide Season

Movies And Shows Out This Christmas Day

“A Complete Unknown”

Timothée Chalamet, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton; directed by James Mangold

James Mangold’s new musical biopic chronicles the ascent of the legendary Bob Dylan, one of the most successful and influential singer-songwriters of all time. Prolific as he is, the artist has defied pop music conventions over the course of his illustrious six-decade-long career.

Adapted from Elijah Wald’s 2015 book “Dylan Goes Electric!: Newport, Seeger, Dylan and the Night that Split the Sixties,” the film mainly focuses on the musician’s shocking shift from folk to rock music, spanning four years from 1961 through 1965. By the end, the earth-shattering news would send tremors of disbelief around the world, so much so that many of his diehard fans considered it an act of betrayal.

Timothée Chalamet embodies the great tunesmith with much gusto, hitting all the right notes, replete with his own singing and guitar playing. Meanwhile, the star also dazzles in those sunglasses — but rose-colored glasses, they are not. Chalamet’s Dylan is an imposing figure hailed for his genius yet marred for his wanton opportunistic and supercilious tendencies. He is an enigma after all.

Elle Fanning shines as Sylvie Russo, Dylan’s first girlfriend in New York — a character based on the late artist, Suze Rotolo. She was totally devoted to him, but their relationship ended in 1964 due to unresolved conflicts.

Monica Barbaro impresses as the folk-music star Joan Baez, who helps Dylan in his burgeoning music career. But their rivalry will cause a fracture in their on-and-off-again romantic relationship.

The movie concludes after Dylan goes electric during the 1965 Newport Folk Festival. The Oscar buzz is swirling around “A Complete Unknown” and Chalamet for his breathtaking turn.

“Babygirl”

Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson; directed by Halina Reijn

Halina Reijn’s erotic thriller stars Nicole Kidman as Romy Mathis, a high-powered executive who begins an illicit love affair with an impertinent intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson).

It is only a matter of time before the riveting power dynamic will consume her life. On the one hand, she has the upper hand, but on the other, she knows all too well that he could easily upend her marriage.

But it seems Romy is willing to risk it all. Is it for love? The answer is a definitive “No.” Simply, it is all about control, and her husband, Jacob (Antonio Banderas), who happens to be a theater director, cannot satisfy her desire to be dominated.

At this juncture, Samuel’s intuition about Romy’s burning desires comes into play. He just seems to understand her psyche. She needs to control and be controlled at the same time, and she relishes every moment of their sexual escapades.

Still, it raises the question why Romy, with all her might as a successful business titan, is on the verge of losing grip of her life. This is the crux of the question at the heart of the movie. For whatever it is worth, it is not about whips and chains in the bedroom.

Oh! Did we tell you that unbeknownst to Romy, Samuel is currently dating her assistant, Esmie (Sophie Wilde). Complications arise to say the least.

Kidman delivers her nuanced role with amazing depth and range. She is a vision to behold. Dickinson also impresses with his mesmerizing turn. Together, the two leads are on fire, further elevated by Haijn’s honest take on erotic desires.

“Nosferatu”

Lilly Rose-Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård; directed by Robert Eggers

The centuries-old vampire in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel “Dracula” returns to the big screen for yet another film adaptation — auteur filmmaker Robert Eggers’ remake of F. W. Murnau’s 1922 lauded horror classic “Nosferatu.”

The new celluloid version paints a shocking love story through the prism of an inconceivable and grotesque love triangle with Ellen Hutter (Lily Rose-Depp) at the core. The alluring young German woman is a social pariah obsessively lusting for the end of her loneliness. Her cries of anguish mysteriously awaken the evil, vampiric Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), giving an impetus to a destructive obsession between them.

Years later, Ellen marries a young realtor, the captivating Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult). By any measure, he has become her salvation, an agonizing idée fixe for Orlok. In the end is tragedy, a fight between true love and demonic desires, as Orlok becomes increasingly hell-bent to claim her as his own bride.

Eggers’s retread breathes new life to the classic gothic tragedy, mesmerizing audiences with immersive set pieces and well-thought-out atmospherics, all while remaining faithful to the original story. Depp, Skarsgård and Holt deliver electrifying performances as they navigate a psychosexual fairy tale steeped in stygian and macabre moments.

“Squid Game 2”

Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon, Lee Byung-hun; created and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk

Remember “Squid Game,” Netflix’s South Korean dystopian survival thriller that took our breath away in 2021? The juggernaut series returns for Season 2 with yet another survival game, where the winner takes all, and losers must simply die.

No spoilers here. So, be sure to mark your calendars. Netflix unveils the second season on Christmas Day.